Leading remote teams

Virginia Gough reflects on ways to help colleagues who are geographically dispersed to coalesce as a team

Whether leading remote teams in Australia or internationally, through my experience I have found there are some critical ingredients to helping them thrive.

In 2008, early in my facilitation career, I undertook the Groupwork Centre’s Advanced Facilitation Training. The skills I learned in that course provided the foundation for shaping how I went on to lead teams. These skills became particularly crucial as I went on to manage international and remote teams.

In 2019 I stepped into a new role leading a team in a large international non government organisation (INGO). I was curious to see how the Groupwork Centre’s Model of Collaborative Practice, which had become the framework for my leadership style, would apply in a remote, cross-cultural setting. In the first year, I built a team comprising staff from the UK, Kenya, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and later Washington, D.C. Throughout this time I was based in Melbourne. .

Given my budget, we could gather as a team in person only once a year. I knew this annual event would be critical to our success. In the first year together I prioritised the following elements in our annual face-to-face gathering and revisited them every year. I always planned the recruitment of new team members around this annual event as a way of induction and building a shared culture.

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Setting the team up for success at our annual face-to-face meeting

• Building agreements for how we would work together

  A simple yet powerful process, building agreements helped us establish a shared culture. Recognising that we all came from very different backgrounds, cultures, skills and experiences, we spent time learning about these differences and developing agreements to support us in working well together. These agreements became the foundation of our team culture.

• Creating our own rhythms and rituals

  Working across multiple time zones meant our team literally never went to sleep. To collaborate effectively, we needed strong rhythms and rituals (touch points for collaboration throughout our days, weeks, months and year) that respected everyone’s needs and ensured that no one’s work was delayed because of another's time zone. Regular one-on-one meetings, project check-ins, team gatherings, and asynchronous ways of working (where we aren’t always all there together) became vital and were planned carefully around timezones. Every meeting needed to have a clear purpose and outcomes.

• Developing a shared vision and strategy, and ensuring role clarity

  Building a strong and compelling vision together was essential for driving momentum and ownership. Each time we came together face-to-face we would revisit our vision and co-create our strategy and operational plan for the year ahead, clarifying roles to ensure everyone understood their contributions to our shared goals.

• Building groupness

  At Groupwork Centre, we use the term “groupness” to describe the deep connection and cohesion within a team. Building groupness required getting the “task” done but also focusing on the “maintenance” of the group. This supports creating a safe enough space where team members could take risks, have those risks acknowledged and celebrated, and learn from one another. It involved fostering curiosity about each other's cultures, backgrounds. At our annual event we would also spend time intentionally building groupness through shared meals, field trips and other shared experiences such as cooking classes, tuc tuc rides or river cruises. All this supported our connection and paid dividends when we all returned home.

• Adapting for a remote, cross-cultural environment

  Managing a remote, cross-cultural team required ongoing learning and adaptation. While our annual gatherings laid a strong foundation, the real work happened in our daily interactions and in how we approached challenges together.

  One of the biggest lessons I learned was the importance of cultural humility. Each team member brought a unique perspective shaped by their cultural and professional backgrounds. Acknowledging and valuing this richness not only strengthened our team but also enhanced the quality of our work.

  For instance, early in our journey, we experienced misunderstandings about timelines due to differences in communication styles. Instead of casting blame, we revisited our agreements to understand what had happened. This experience deepened our understanding of how we each approached deadlines and enabled us to refine our processes to better meet everyone's needs.

• Supporting wellbeing in a 24/7 team

  Remote work, especially across time zones, can be isolating. Supporting team members’ wellbeing became a priority. We made space for regular check-ins – not just about work, but also about life beyond work. Starting meetings with a quick check-in round helped foster connection and allowed us to identify when someone might need extra support.

  We also encouraged flexible working arrangements, enabling team members to align their schedules with their local time zones and family commitments. These accommodations had a significant positive impact on morale and productivity, ensuring everyone felt valued and respected.

  Reflecting on the journey

  Looking back, the success of our remote team was built on intentionality. Every process, conversation and gathering was designed with care to promote collaboration, inclusion and a sense of belonging.

  The principles of the Groupwork Centre – collaboration, clear communication, and deep respect for individual and group dynamics – were at the heart of everything we did. These principles not only guided how we worked together but also shaped how we overcame challenges and innovated.

  Over time, I watched the team thrive. They contributed to the success of the team and grew as leaders, creating ripples of positive change in their own communities and professional networks. It was a powerful reminder that investing in strong teams does more than deliver results – it empowers individuals to make a broader impact.

Final thoughts

Leading remote teams – whether in Australia or internationally – is an opportunity to reimagine how we collaborate. It requires flexibility, an openness to differences and a commitment to ongoing learning.

The rewards, however, are immense. By building trust, fostering connection and creating a shared purpose, we can unlock the full potential of our teams, no matter where in the world we are.

If you’re leading a remote team, I encourage you to invest in these foundational elements. They may not only transform your team but also redefine your approach to leadership itself.

For those working in the international development sector or humanitarian response you might like to check out our new offering designed specifically for anyone facilitating groups in this space. You will learn many of the skills mentioned in this article.